Clamp for bumper bars



CLAMP FOR BUMPER BARS Filed OCt. 20, 1923 vof the type referred 'tomobiles or similar vehicles,

Patented Aug. l2, 1924.

UNITED STAT 5 1,504,947 ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. FLUM .AND GEORGE E. REED, OF .KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 THE C. G'. SPRING & BUMPER OOMIANY, OF DETROIT, `IVIIC.'L-llIGlnLtl', A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

CLAMP ron. BUMPER mms'.v

` Application flied October 20, 1923. Serial No. 669,659.

To all Iwzof/n t may conce/Mt.' v

Be it known that we, Ronn'r Al, F LUM and Geenen R. Renn, citizensv of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clamps for Bumper Bars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to bumpers for auand more particularly to bumpers of the type wherein the central portion of the rear or auxiliary bar is connected to the central portions of a j plurality of vertically spacedl front or impact bars. It is the general purpose and object of the invention to provide means for clamping together the central portions of such bars in a particularly eective manner also to accomplish this result in and, through a construction of clamping device which is extremely simple in construction and economical of production, veniently applied to and removed from the bars' with lwhich it is associated.

.li/Ve accomplish the foregoing objects, and other and more limited objects which will appear hereinafter, in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings forming part hereof, where-v in Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a bumper,

to, having our'invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 a front elevation of such bumper; Fig. tional detail corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. i an enlarged detail in plan of the parts shown in Fig. 3.; and Fig. 5 a detail in perspective of one of the parts of the clamping device.

Describing the variousparts by reference characters,1 denotes bar' and 2 the vertically spaced, parallel front or impact bars of' a bumper. The ends of the bars 2 are rearwardly and then inwardly, as shown at 3 and 4,A and the ends Ltare connected to the outer ends of the bar 1 by means` of clamping plates 5 and bolts or rivets 6.- The rear or auxiliary bar 1 is-shown as supported from arms 7 by means of clamps 8, the arms 7 in turn being connected at their rear or inner ends with the side members of the vehicle (not shown).

For the purpose of stiiening the central in the county' and which can be con- 3 an enlarged secthefrear or auxiliary,

portion of the bumper, the central portion of the bar l is connected to the central portions of the bars 2 by a combined clamping and spacing device. vThis device consists generally of a pair of symmetrical clamping plates, each adapted to engage an edge' of the rear or auxiliary bar and t-he adj acent 'edge and front or outer face of the impact bar adjacent thereto, a bolt intermediate the ends of the said clamping plates and serving to clamp the same upon the rear or auxiliary bar,- and a Spacing and clamping device including a wedge plate adapted ing plates and having at its ends projections adapted to engage the rear or innerfaces of the front or impact bars.

9 denotesgenerally the upper and lower clamping plates, which are preferably symmetrical and interchangeable, each plate having at its rear or inner end transversely extending seat 9a, the said seats being adapted to engage the upper and lower edges of the rear or auxiliary bar 1, the rear or inner ends of the clamping plates being approximately U-shaped in section to provide such seats, the extreme rear or inner ends 9b of the plates being projected toward each other, when the plates are assembled. The front end of each plate 9, is bent at nearly right angles from the adjacent body portion, as shown at 99, in order to provide a ange or projection which is adapted to engage the front faces of the upper and lower bars 2. The clamping plates are so shaped that, when assembled, the front or outer portions of the plates diverge fromI each other, providing therebetween inwardly or rearwardly convergent tapering surfaces for the reception of the correspondingly tapered or beveled upper and lower surfaces of the spacing portions of the clamping andv spacing blocker member. This block or member is indicated generally at l0, and comprises a pair of vertical projections or bars l0a connected at their central portions by a transverse plate 10", the said, plate having top and bottom flanges 10c, the upper and lower surfaces of such flanges being beveled and converging rearwardly so as to engage the correspondingly beveled or {iared portions 9d of the clamping plates. j

Each plate 9 is provided with an aperture 9e, intermediate the ends thereof the apertures being adapted to receive a bolt ll.

clamping member reslpect to the barsl and 2.

-lng and 9 and 1o With the parts constructed and arranged as described, the plates v9 will be applied the bumper with their' front or outer flanges 9c engaging. the front or outer faces of the bars 2. The cooperating spacing and l0 will then be applied in place, with the front edges of the projections or bars la thereof in engagement with the rear faces of the respective bars 2,v directly opposite the flanges 9C, and with the intermediate portion 10b interposed between the parts9d. The bolt ll is then inserted and the nut lla is set up. This will draw the seats ing and Spacing blocki l0 forwardly wardly, due to the inclined surfaces 10d. -This outward movement of the or out- 91 and clampspacing blockcauses the front or outer faces of the bars or projections 9'4 and the said bars e clamping device comprising the parts can be made from stamped metal is comparatively cheap ofy production. 'As will be evident from the construction and operation of the same, it is extremely efficient 1n operation ovconvenience of description, weliave assumed that the bumper shown herein is applied to the front of an automobile, and the terms front and rear have been applied accordingly. By the use of such language, however, we do not propose to limit the luse of'our invention to any particular lng-I our invention.

aving thus l described our invention, what we clainris:`

1. In a bumper, the combination, with'a pair of front vertically spaced bars, of a bar spaced rearwardly from the first mentioned bars, a clamping device for connecting the last mentioned bari with the two irstmentioned bars, the lsaid clamping device com# the scope of prising a pair ofl opposed clamping platesl seat for an edge of each having at its oppoto engage one of the iirst two' bars, respectively, each of said plates having a tapered surface, the said surfaces constituting a, rearwardly convergent seat therebe- .interiiiediate the seats and the tween, clamping members adapted to cooperate with the rear or inner faces of the first two plates, the said members being connected y an intermediate portion having tapered surfaces engaging formed between the said plates, and means located between the said intermediate portion and the seats at the rear or inner ends of the clamping plates, for adjusting the .said plates toward each other.

2. In a bumper, the combination, with :i pair of vertically spaced front or impact bars, of a rear or auxiliary luirliaviim` a portion spaced from the First mentioned bars and located intermediate the top of the upper bar and the bottom ef'tlie lower bar. a clamping device, for coniiectingv the third bar with thevtwo lirst-nientioned bars, llie said clamping device comprising an upper and a lower clamping plaie each having' at; its rear end a seat for an edge et' the third bar and at its front end a pi wiel `on adapt ed to engage the lower portion la, iront face of the upper bar and the u portion of the front face c the lou-e respectively, eacli of said p :it-es li; :1 tapered surface located rearwardly i is {lang-e or projection., the said tapered surfaces con` verging rearwardly, a clamping and spacingl member for 'the rear faces of tioned bars, the said member comprising an. intermediate portion having an upper and a lower tapered surface adapted to cooperate with the tapered surfaces of the said clamp* ino plates, there being projections extending from eacli end et such intermediate portion and adapted te engage the lower rear face and the upper rear face of the two first mentioned bars, respectively, and means interposed between the said device and the seats at the rear ends of said clamping plates for drawing the said plates together.

3. I bumper, the combination, with a air of-verticallv siiaced front or im )act Y l, l

an edge or" the thii bar and at its front end a. prcgection adapted to engage the lower portion of t" i and the upp pcie the lower bar,

t face of the upper bar n of the front face of respectively, means located projections thereof fer. drawing the said plates together, and a combined spacing and clamping menier having a portion adapted te be inserted etween the said plates in front of such connecting means, the said. member having projections adapted to engage the rear faces zlie iirsi inen- 'i clamping plate,

of the two iirst mentioned bars, the interposed portion of such member and the said plates having engaging surfaces adapted and arranged to cause a forward movement of said member by the adjustment of the said connecting means.

4. In a bumper, the combination, with a pair of vertically spaced front or impact bars, of a rear or auxiliary bar having a portion spaced from- 'the Erst mentioned bars andlocated intermediate the top of the upper bar andthe bottom ofthe lower bar, a clamping device for connecting the spaced portion of vthe device comprising an upper and a lower each having at its rear end a seat for' an edge of the third bar and atits front end aprojectionvadapted to of the front face of the lower engage the lower portion of the front face of the upperbar and the lup er p-ortion ar, respectively, a spacing member interposed between the said connecting means and the projections' on,- said plates, the said member itself having projections adapted to engage the rear surfaces of the two first mentioned bars,

and means located intermediate the seats and the projections of said plates for drawing the latter together, the said plates having surfaces cooperating, bythe adjustment of such connecting means, to move the said member forwardly, thereby to press the projections thereoi` into engagement with the two frst-mentioned bars.-

third` bar with the` two first mentioned `ba'frs,.the said clamping 'spacing and clamping 'member the upper bar and the bottom of the lower bar, a clamping device for connecting the spaced portion of the 4third bar with the two' first mentioned bars, the said clamping device comprising anupper and a lower clamping plate, each having at its rear end a seat for an edge of the third bar and at its front end a projection adapted to engage the lower portion of the front face of the upper bar and the up er portion of .the lfront face of the 'lower Ibar, respectiv'e1y,means located' intermediate the seats andthe projections thereof, for drawing the said plates `together, and a combined having an intermediateportion adapted tol be inserted between the said platesI in front of such connecting means the said member having projections at each end thereof adapted to receive the said lates therebetween and to engage the rear aces of the two irstimentioned bars, the interposed portion of such member and the said plates having engagino surfaces adapted and arranged t-o cause a orward movement of `said member by the adjustment of the said connecting means.

In testimony whereof, we hereuntoA aix 

